mansions of the soul - h. spencer lewis

MANSIONS OF THE SOUL

The Cosmic Conception

by H. Spencer Lewis

1930, 1954, 1996, and 2015 Supreme Grand Lodge Of The Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis. All Rights Reserved.

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The information in this book is distributed on an as is basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

DEDICATION

To the Fearlessness and Frankness of H.F.

who has so often and convincingly expressed his

faith in the Doctrines of Reincarnation, and

who has demonstrated his complete trust

in those principles by his broad

vision, human sympathy,

and unlimited plans for

the future.

This Book is Dedicated

with the wish that his marvelous industrial

achievements may continue to have

the well-deserived Cosmic

Benediction and

Blessing.

CONTENTSIntroduction

1. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU

2. WHY ARE WE HERE?

3. THE ANCIENT BELIEFS

4. THE QUEST

5. THE COSMIC CONCEPTION OF THE SOUL

6. THE PERSONALITY OF THE SOUL

7. DOES PERSONALITY SURVIVE TRANSITION?

8. HEREDITY AND INHERITANCE

9. KARMA AND PERSONAL EVOLUTION

10. THE AGGREGATION OF PERSONALITIES

11. THE RELIGIOUS AND BIBLICAL VIEWPOINT

12. CHRISTIAN REFERENCES

13. THE OVERSOUL AND CYCLES OF INCARNATIONS

14. BETWEEN INCARNATIONS

15. MULTIPLE AND SECONDARY PERSONALITIES

16. SOULS OF ANIMALS AND THE UNBORN

17. RECOLLECTIONS OF THE PAST

18. THE FEAR OF DEATH

19. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

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INTRODUCTION

THE CONTINUED INTEREST in the Western world regarding the religions and religious wisdom and philosophies of other lands has led many thinking persons to give serious consideration to the very old and logical doctrine of reincarnation.

The demand for some understandable and rational explanation of the doctrine of reincarnation is responsible for the publication of this book. There are many small books or pamphlets in the libraries of the Western world today dealing with the subject of reincarnation, but in nearly every instance these books have been written and issued in conjunction with the outline of some ancient mystical religion. For this reason most of them are filled with strange philosophical terms or mystical principles which make the fundamentals of reincarnation difficult to understand and difficult to accept.

Perhaps this is why so many of those who are devout students of the modern Christian or the modern Jewish religions hesitate to accept any of the principles of reincarnation. I have yet to find an intelligent man or woman who, after hearing the true doctrines of reincarnation properly presented, refuses to admit that they are reasonable, logical, and acceptable.

With this in mind, therefore, the chapters of this book were prepared at various times as inspiration moved me to write.

This much can be said in closing any argument regarding the truthfulness or soundness of the doctrine of reincarnation. We are here on this earth plane living a life of trials, experiences, lessons, and constructive instruction. Whether we accept the doctrine of reincarnation or not we will continue to live in accordance with some law, some principle, some scheme of things; and, when the end comes,


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this period of life on earth will be consummated and through transition we will learn of what there is in the future. What we may believe, or think, in regard to reincarnation will not change one principle of the doctrine nor affect the laws involved one iota. The great effect of such belief or disbelief, or the acceptance or non-acceptance of these doctrines, will be in our lives as we are living them here and in our readiness and preparation to meet transition when we come face to face with it.

Knowing, therefore, that the acceptance of these doctrines will bring to the reader, as it has brought to millions of others, greater happiness in life through a greater understanding of the trials and problems involved, and an absolute fearlessness of so-called death, I close my manuscripts and pass them on to the mechanical masters who will prepare them for the public, and rest in the hope that thousands may find Light, Life, and Love through what I have written.

H. Spencer Lewis

The Temple of Alden,

San Jose, California.

September 15, 1930

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Chapter 1

I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU

THE STONE WAS struck and there issued a spark! Again the striking of the stone, and another spark! And a third time! Now a little flame grew in the dry grass and feathers; and the flame gave forth light and burned the little twigs, producing a fire. The fire was kindled and nourished until it enlarged its size and intensity. Burning on flat stones and crudely protected by others, there was soon a small furnace of heat and light which radiated its vibrations into the gloom of the small wood-and-mud cabin.

Rejoicing in this new and marvelous addition to their roughly constructed home, primitive man and primitive woman, for the first time, seated themselves on the bark covered floor and gazed into the dimly lighted recesses of the enclosure which now became an enjoyable place at night.

Not long ago, this man and woman had ventured from the protected place in the branches of a tree, where they had lived in safety, to construct and occupy the dream place of their evolving minds. Contemplating the possibility of a larger environment than the tree afforded for safe relaxation and protection from animals of prey, they had built the first home, the first cottage, the first castle man ever knew.

With the setting of the sun each day came darkness and the coldness of the night. The long hours of silence, accompanied by the inability to see or to employ the time, added to the despondency and discouragement of the monotonous life from sunset to sunrise. True,


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the more perfect enclosure and protection from winds and storms made this crude home so superior to the dwelling place in the trees that a sense of kingship and mastership over the elements and the creatures of the earth brought many new inspirations to the minds and hearts of these beings, who were looked upon as more fortunate and blessed than their companions.

The night had afforded but one pleasure, one rich reward, for the labors of the day; this was to sleep and dream. But, the idleness of the early evening hours, when the mind was keenly active and speculation unlimited, became the dread of each day. Surely life held something better than this, even though the light of the sun and the shadows of the night painted no picture of an answer to the mystery.

Then came the discovery of the spark, the light, the flame, the fire, the heat! In an instant, the life of primitive man and woman was changed. The darkness of the night could be dispelled, the coldness of the evening air and morning breeze could be modified, metals could be reduced to malleable forms, and food could be prepared more tastefully than in the past.

The greatest change of all, however, was that which came with the coming of light. Light at night. Light in the darkest hours and in the darkest home. Light and warmth at the fireside. A hearth place of comfort. A place where the long and silent hours of the night might be profitably spent. Pleasure, comfort, discourse, learning!

The coming of the night was anticipated with joy throughout the day. When the setting sun brought an end to the hunt and to the work of the fields, and when the tired body could no longer carry on, there were still the hours of the evening to refresh man and afford him the luxurious pleasure of warmth while he rested in enjoyable companionship before the fire.

Sitting in the glowing lights of the blessed fire, the mind was tricked into concentration upon the fantastic forms and weird action of the flames. The marvels of natures powers and possibilities intrigued the imagination and tempted the speculative faculties of primitive


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mans receptive consciousness. Here, meditation was the school, and the mysteries of life the teacher who questioned and drew forth the answer from the inspired impressions of each mind.

To this fiery shrine came others with their questions, their dreams, their problems, and their desire for light and more light. The fireplace became the center of the temple of mystery, and the hearthstone became the altar of the worship of primitive man, when his thoughts were turned toward nature and its marvels.

It was here that men first directed their thoughts toward the possibility of an omnipotent power which ruled the forces of the universe and created the bounties of life; it was here that primitive men first lifted their thoughts beyond themselves to that which must be greater than the greatest among them. It was here that men first sought the castles of the soul, more grand than the castles of the body or the castles they built with mud and wood.

Heathens they were called, because they worshiped at the hearthstone. Castles they sought, for in castles there were protection, warmth, comfort, and the time to think and dream. Mansions of the souls they looked for and found at last in the uplift of their thoughts and the uniting of their minds in one perfect conception of a heavenly realm.

Still, there was always the quest for knowledge and the desire for answers to problems unsolved. Why are we here? who are we? whence came we? and whither do we go? There were the questions that were asked at the first hearthstone, and are asked today at every hearthstone, with the same sincerity and an increasing desire for explicit and understandable explanations.

Have we, as individuals, a definite mission in life? Is each human being an entity, an individuality, known to and considered by the Infinite Intelligence as an important element in the universal scheme of things? Is the earth, after all, merely a stage, presenting a passing drama into which we have cast ourselves by our own voluntary preference? And when our parts are played, is our work on earth truly done?


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The sacred scriptures of all religions speak of only one earth, one globe, one place in the whole of the universe where man was created and exists as an image of some Creator. Science, on the other hand, busily occupies itself on the borderline of discovery, anticipating that it may reveal to us at any moment the actual existence of other planets than this one, filled with human life or living creatures not unlike ourselves. The gospels of the ages and of all nations speak of great avatars and messengers of the Holy Messiah and the God of Gods, who have come to earth to save all living beings. Is there no redemption, no saving grace, for the beings on other planets, or have they no souls, no personalities that are divine and worthy of infinite consideration?

Is this personality of ours, this individuality which we strive to build up through idealism and the elimination of undesirable traits, merely a temporary or imaginary creation of our minds?

Down through the ages has come the cry for light and more light. About us, everything is changing and nothing seems permanent and fixed. The mountains crumble away, the rivers dry up and cease to flow, islands sink, and new seas are formed. The great oaks, in all their majesty, must succumb to transition, to change, or death. Man goes on his way and crosses the borderline into the unknown and seems to end his existence in the twinkling of an eye. Is there any part of man, therefore, or any part of nature, that is immortal, unchanging, permanent, and continuous?

Is there a survival beyond mans mere memory of the personalities that now exist in human form? Will the death of the body or the change of its form release an intangible and invisible something that will rise to greater heights than the monuments to remembered characters, or surmount the limitations of time and space, and thereby attain incorruptibility and immortality?

If the present physical body is a mansion of the soul and the Great Messenger of God went forward to prepare other places of this soul, are there other mansions then to be attained, and how?


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It has been the hope of the worldand the inspiring power that has enabled man to carry on in the face of mighty obstaclesthat some day he would be freed of the mortal cloak that enslaves him on this earth and he would rise to a life of eternal bliss and goodness. If the religions that have inspired man are true, and the culminating joy of his life is to be found only in the spiritual existence of his soul in a realm beyond the earth, why have the souls of millions been imprisoned here to suffer and to know torment, sorrow, strife, and conflict? What end is served, what mission fulfilled, by the incarnation of the soul here? If, out of the sublime, spiritual consciousness of a blissful kingdom comes each soul, and to this same high state must it return to enjoy its divine heritage, why is it sent forth from such a transcendental place to dwell in association with corruption, sin, evil, and dross?

These are the questions which millions are asking today and which must be answered more completely, more satisfyingly, and more constructively than they have been answered in the past. Directing our attention to the worship of God, and inspiring us with the belief that this God is loving, merciful, tender, and just, will not answer these questions but will merely add to the mystery of our existence. Granted that an omnipotent, all-wise, merciful, and loving God created us in his image and directed into these physical bodies a part of his soul consciousness to suffer and to endure the trials and tribulations of unknown and unexpected experiences here on earth, still the question remains, Why are we here? and How are mercy, love, and justice made manifest in such a plan?

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Chapter 2

WHY ARE WE HERE?

TO THOSE WHO say, I do not believe in the doctrine of rebirth or immortality, I would like to reply by saying, Do you really know what the doctrine actually means?In twenty years of public lecturing and writing on subjects dealing

with spiritual and cosmic principles, I have found thousands who were ready to express strongly their disbelief in certain doctrines, and yet had to admit that they neither understood them nor had ever attempted to investigate them. It is truly difficult for one to accept a doctrine that is not understood, and it is especially difficult to accept a doctrine or principle that has been popularly misrepresented. This tendency on the part of human nature is nothing new, for in the time of Jesus, and for centuries preceding his introduction of new principles, the races of man rejected many doctrines which they did not properly comprehend.

No one compliments himself by saying that he has discarded or rejected a statement, a principle, or a law that he neither understands nor gives sufficient consideration to comprehend. Such an attitude is one of intolerance, bigotry, or ignorance. One may appear to be with the majority or with the popular mind in smiling at new ideas or new principles, but, after all, the smile may have to be changed tomorrow by the sudden discovery on the part of the populace that the rejected or ridiculed idea has been found true and acceptable.

After all, what is there about the real doctrine of human rebirth that any strictly orthodox religious person, or any rigidly scientific mind, cannot accept? I will grant you that there are certain things about the popular notions of reincarnation that are absurd and so greatly


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misrepresented that the logically minded or thinking person feels that it is a presumption upon his intelligence even to consider the statements made. When, however, we find that three fourths of the worlds thinking and analyzing minds have accepted a certain principle or doctrine for many ages, and when we find that the best-informed persons and the keenest intellects in the business, scientific, and religious world have given their approval and credence to such a doctrine or principle, then we should feel inclined to give a few minutes thought to the doctrine and discover whether there is in it the essence of truth or probability. This is only fair to ourselves and fair to the doctrine.

We have learned through experience in the past century that the popular impression of a doctrine, principle, or idea may be very wrong. We have learned through many important examples that even the learned persons and the commentators in encyclopedias may be misinformed in regard to certain principles and thereby influence or prejudice our understanding. Certainly, we in the Western world have learned that popular criticism is not always a standard by which we may safely gauge our own convictions.

All of this is particularly true regarding the subject of human rebirth. When we read in the question-and-answer columns of the largest newspapers in America that a clergyman, who is nationally known and is devoting his time principally to the answering of religious questions, states that his understanding of this doctrine is that man may be born again as a cat or a dog, or some other animal lower in the scale than the human being, we keenly realize what an injustice is being done to a very beautiful and important law of nature through gross ignorance or willful misunderstanding. And, if such a learned man has no better understanding of the real principles of reincarnation than this, we should not be surprised that lesser lights, or those millions who do not have access to sources of information, should have other distorted ideas regarding reincarnation.

Perhaps the most important point to be kept in mind by each investigator on this subject is that the doctrine or law of reincarnation is not a religious creed, a religious doctrine, or a religious law. It is a natural law and has to do with the evolution of nature and the


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carrying out of natures principles aside from any connection these principles may have with the revelation of God and Gods omnipotent intelligence. In other words, the laws pertaining to reincarnation are no more religious than are the laws pertaining to conception, the growth of the embryo, and the birth of the body. Gods divine laws as natural laws are unquestionably operating in this marvelous process of the reproduction of the human race, but no one would classify the study of embryology as a religious doctrine or a religious creed. The facts pertaining to embryology are strictly within the domain of science. Likewise, no one would think of classifying the study of disease, the breaking down of the human body and its ultimate transition, as a religious or theological study, even though divine principles are involved.

Furthermore, a careful and truly conscientious study of the doctrine of reincarnation reveals that there is nothing in the true principles that may be considered contradictory to any of the religious principles found in any of the recognized or long-established religions. Reincarnation in its truthful presentation is not antagonistic toward the principles of sound theology, and I know that Christians will be astonished when I say that there is nothing in the truthful presentation of the doctrine of reincarnation that is contrary to, or inconsistent with, the fundamental Christian principles as revealed and taught by Jesus. A reading of the other chapters of this book will prove that this is so, and it is a notable fact in the Western world today that Christians find more joy in the true understanding of the doctrine of reincarnation than do persons of other denominations. The reason for this will become apparent as this book is read. Again I say, however, that some of the popular notions regarding reincarnation and some of the willfully misrepresented fancies connected therewith are not only inconsistent with the Christian theology and doctrine, but with all true religions.

One of the most often repeated criticisms of the doctrine of reincarnation, generally expressed by those who have had only a casual understanding of it, is to the effect that it seems strange that God should require the soul of man to have many and varied experiences here on earth. Persons expressing this idea generally say that they cannot see why the soul of man could not continue to exist without requiring


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incarnation in a physical body on this earth plane. This argument is generally presented as a conclusive and final closing of the entire discussion. However, such an argument is fundamentally unsound. It is not based upon any rational premise. The fact of the matter is that the doctrine of reincarnation does not start with the assumption, or the theory, that man must be incarnated in a physical body and have earthly experiences. Reincarnation starts with the fact that man is incarnated in a physical body and is here having earthly experiences. Since these two wonderful facts are established by our actual existence here, and are, therefore, removed from the field of speculation and are not mere assumptions used in the doctrine of reincarnation, we must begin with the fact that man is here and is living in a physical body, and confine ourselves to answering the question of Why?

Since the dawn of civilization, when man began to think of his vicissitudes, trials, and tribulations, and to seek for some reward for all that he suffered, he has asked the same question over and over, Why are we here? Theology has its answer to this question and the answer has become evolved and involved until it is no longer a brief, definite statement, but a group of statements constituting a creed; and there are many creeds according to the various viewpoints and beliefs. Science, on the other hand, has its answer also. But the scientific answer does not cover all of the elements, all of the principles which concern man more deeply than do the problems of cosmology and biology.

If one eliminates the religious elements of the question, Why are we here? and confines the discussion to either the materialistic or the atheistic viewpoint, there is still a great need for more light and more information on the complex problems included in the question

It is not sufficient, either, to say that we are here because of some divine principle known only to God and incomprehensible to man. There is nothing in the whole history of civilization and in the cultural development of man to indicate that any of the laws of nature or any of the laws of God were ever intended to be concealed and kept from mans understanding. The very inner nature of man seems to be inspired with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge about himself and his relationship to the universe, and nothing short of the truth


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in these matters will suffice. Our encyclopedias and textbooks of knowledge are filled today with free and exhaustive explanations of laws and principles which were at one time or another proclaimed to be Gods secret knowledge, and beyond the comprehension of mans finite mind. Those very questions, which at one time were condemned by church and state as heretical and beyond the right or privilege of man to ask, are now freely asked and answered with precise knowledge by both church and state institutions. In fact, religious and educational foundations are active today in the promulgation of knowledge pertaining to those very things which were condemned by the church at one time as nobodys business and Gods secret prerogatives.

Since we are here, and since the church, through its theologies, claims that we are here because God created us to live on this earth plane, we have a right to ask the why and the wherefore. And, since science also claims that our existence here is in accordance with a definite law of evolution which is a logical consequence of the divine, creative principle, we have a right to ask science to investigate still further and tell us what purpose is served by our existence.

This book, then, is an attempt to explain in non-technical language, and without religious bias or prejudice, the reason for the incarnation of a divine soul in a physical body, and the purpose or mission of that soul in a physical body on this earth plane. The explanation does not involve any propaganda for a new religion, a new creed, or a new form of worship. It does not attempt to soothe the weariness and struggles of life, nor blunt our minds to the obligations of life. That the doctrine of reincarnation does bring, in its understanding, a newer and different viewpoint of life resulting in more contentment and more harmonious cooperation with natures laws is simply in the nature of the laws revealed. But that newer viewpoint and that contentment which comes with the understanding of the doctrine of reincarnation in no way lessens the seriousness of life or makes man immune to the sufferings and tribulations which he must endure.

Finally, I may add without seeming to be facetious, that whether one believes in or accepts the doctrine of reincarnation or rejects it, the truth of its principles will continue to manifest itself and the laws


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will continue to operate. We neither obliterate nor modify a law or principle by denying it or refusing to accept it. Therefore, it behooves everyone to become acquainted with the facts and at least to know something of the laws under which we are living and by which we are directed and controlled in our existence.

We may continue to live without knowing these things, and we may find some degree of satisfaction in life without understanding any of the principles involved. The whole culture and advancement of mans civilization, however, has proved that man has become more happy, more contented, and more masterful through understanding every natural and divine law involved in his existence. The constant quest for more knowledge along these lines indicates the restlessness of mans nature because of his determination to gain greater success and joy in life through the knowledge that is necessary for him to possess. For this reason, the knowledge of the doctrine of reincarnation will constitute one of the most beneficial aids to his education.

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Chapter 3

THE ANCIENT BELIEFS

THE ONE INCONTESTABLE fact which is the foundation of our whole study of mans existence is that man is here on earth and that his life consists of a series of experiences which at various periods bring joy and sorrow, happiness and sadness, contentment and unrest, love and hatred, peace and suffering.

The second important fact revealed through the experiences of life is that mans nature is dual, or at least it is dual in manifestation. He is a physical, mortal body, with humanly conceived ideas and ideals, desires, ambitions, and conceptions. He is also an emotional or spiritual body having a subjective self or consciousness, which urges submission to its desires, inspirations, tendencies, and inclinations. Between these two sides of mans nature there is a constant contest for supremacy and domination. Hence, man has come to think of himself as being more than a mere physical body like a mass of matter united by a chemical formula, and more than a mere mechanical contrivance like an automaton. He is likewise convinced by the sufferings and ordeals of the flesh that he is more than a purely spiritual being.

In attempting to find an answer to the question: Why are we here? man cannot subdue or cast out of his consciousness the idea that if he could determine what he is, he would know why he is. Therefore, along with mans quest for knowledge concerning the purpose of his existence in an earthly life is the desire for knowledge concerning himself and his relation to the universe.

Theology has always attempted to explain what man is and why he was created. Science begins its explanation of mans nature at a point


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where man is already a living, thinking entity. It does not deal with those phases of his creation that precede the chemical, the biological, or the mechanical constitution of his nature and being. This pre-entity period of mans creation has been left to theology to explain. The theological answers have been varied and unique in accordance with the periods of time through which man has passed in the process of civilization, and in accordance with the light of knowledge possessed by the nations in all ages from antiquity to the present moment

There is one point of agreement to be found, however, in all of the theological explanations offered in regard to the nature of mans being. In all times and among all races, and in all degrees of cultural education, the inspired or logically evolved answer has been that man is a physical body with its accompanying physical consciousness, in which resides a soul, or a divine self, or a segment of some divine consciousness constituting an inner self. The duality of mans existence is, therefore, a universally accepted idea. That idea is challenged by science since it cannot accept as a fact any premise or any principle beyond its ken. In all religions, however, the idea of an inner man or inner self is a fundamental which is stated as neither theory nor speculative conclusion.

If one denies the existence of an inner consciousness or soul as an entity distinct and apart from the physical body, then the whole subject of birth and rebirth reduces itself to a consideration of chemical action and reaction, and its purely physical principles. Such a belief would preclude any consideration of the subject of reincarnation just as it would preclude any consideration of the immortality of any part of man or the existence of any divine element in man. Therefore, since we are not dealing with the materialistic and non-divine idea of mans being, we must set aside this phase of speculation and adopt the more universal idea that man is a physical body clothing a soul or form of spiritual consciousness.

Looking upon man, therefore, as a dual being, body and soul, we are forced to turn to theology and the religious doctrines of the past and present to find any illumination regarding the immaterial part of man. The scientist says that we may look to him for any and every


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explanation pertaining to the chemical, biological, pathological, and physiological nature of mans existence. We must turn to ontology and theology for our knowledge regarding the spiritual part of man. Whether the present-day scientist is right in thus limiting his field of investigation, or is wrong in this regard, we may determine after we have studied the question in the future chapters of this book. We may say in passing, however, that it was not always so. Theology was not always a subject of study apart from the general philosophical sciences. Nor was there always a distinct study known as the sciences as we have it today. Nor was there always a time when man, in his search for truth about himself, found two opposed schools dealing with distinct dual parts of his nature.

However, the tendency in modern times has been to leave all questions pertaining to the spiritual or infinite consciousness of man to the schools of theology, and if we are to accept any of their explanations in regard to the nature of man and his relation to the universe, we must enter into a simple summary of them, for they are too diverse, contradictory, and inconsistent to serve any purpose through elaborate examination of their minute details.

In brief, we find theology in general throughout the ages admitting one fact or claiming one point with consistency. It is to the effect that the real part of man is the infinite, divine, or intangible consciousness and essence which constitutes the inner self. For this inner self many names have been invented and universally adopted at various times. The most general of these names is that of soul, and we find it associated with another word, which means the breath; and for many ages the inner self of man was associated with the idea of breathing an invisible essence which constituted the spiritual nature of man. A second general principle most universally and consistently adopted was the idea that this soul of man is a distinct entity, or a spiritual something, that is immortal and at times separates from the physical body.

Thus we have two important points coming down to us from antiquity as fundamental principles involved in the explanation of mans spiritual existence. These points we find beautifully incorporated in an attempt to explain the creation of man in the translated book


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of Genesis in the modern Christian Bible. Therein, we read that God made man out of the dust of the earth which represented the physical, chemical, mechanical, and material part of his being, and into this God breathed as a second part of man the breath, or essence, or consciousness, of life, and the physical body became a living, or animated, visible soul.

Two important secondary principles are intimated by this symbolical or allegorical process of mans creation. First, that the physical body, made of the material elements of the earth, was completed and perfected as a purely material form before any consideration was given to the process of animating it with consciousness of life. Second, that with the physical body completed and yet lifeless, it was necessary for something more to be done to make it a living being, and that to do this there was added a second and a distinctly different and separate element called the breath of life After this entered the physical body, the physical part became insignificant, for man was then not merely an animated body, or a physical body that was filled with life, but a soul that could live on earth and manifest itself and was, therefore, a living soul.

When the original version of this passage in the Bible is read and analyzed in its original tongue, one is more deeply impressed with the significance of the second point. We are impressed with the fact that the physical body did not take on life but that the invisible, infinite soul took on a physical form by the uniting of the breath with the body. Even the ancients were impressed with this significance, and in their philosophies, which gradually evolved into theological principles, we are constantly reminded of the fact that man is essentially a soul clothed with a body, and not a body animated with a soul.

A further survey of the theological and philosophical explanations of the past and the present reveals some other points consistently adhered to in the explanations, though often modified in accordance with sectarian creeds. These are to the effect that the breath of life, or soul of man, was originally a part of the Creator, or God essence and consciousness. We are reminded in many ways and by many words that whereas the physical part of man is an accumulation of unorganized elements gathered together from the products of the earth, the soul of


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man is something that was drawn out of space and made into a form to be placed in man. We are reminded also that whereas the physical part of man was made out of nothing that had any form or nature of man in it, the soul of man already existed in the soul and consciousness of the Creator when he made the body of man.

We are reminded also by other points of the explanations that the soul in man existed from the beginning of all time and must continue to exist until the end of time, if there be such an end. In most of the philosophical explanations we are impressed with the belief that the souls immortality distinctly implied that since it was not mortal and could have no end, it never had any beginning, whereas mans physical body had a distinct beginning when it was created out of the lesser and unorganized elements of the earth, and would have an ending when these mortal elements lost their organization and became disassociated.

Finally, our survey of the theological and philosophical explanations of the spiritual part of man reveals a universal belief in the principle that the soul or consciousness of man was always a part of the soul of the Creator, or God, and that it will live, or exist, or continue to function, as long as God or the Creator exists.

In these principles and ideas, therefore, we have a very definite picture of the nature of mans being. We have man as a physical being represented by his physical body composed of the material elements of the earth. Within this physical body we have the spiritual body or soul. Man is therefore dual, body and soul. His body is mortal, being composed of mortal elements or of corruption, to use a theological term. Its mortality makes it corruptible. The spiritual part of man, or the soul essence, is a part of the God consciousness, and is infinite, divine, and immortal. It was originally, and is essentially in its nature, of the immortal and incorruptible. It resides in the body of man and, therefore, takes on a cloak of corruption, for the body of man cannot always continue, but must decay and corrupt.

The soul is therefore only temporarily resident within a physical body and cannot remain eternally in one body, since in that case the body would have to be immortal, as is the soul. Man is born with a new body recently composed of the chemical elements of the earth, and


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into this enters the pure and immortal soul that has always existed and will continue to exist for all eternity. The mortality and corruptibility of the body cannot affect the immortality and incorruptibility of the soul. Therefore, there must come a time when the physical body in its corruption becomes disorganized and can no longer contain the soul essence. A change takes place which is incorrectly called death, but which is merely a transition. Body and soul are separated and the corruptible goes into corruption, and the immortal and incorruptible retains its infinite state.

Science has proved the correctness of the belief in the mortality and corruption of the physical body. The experiences of the flesh in our individual lives demonstrate that from hour to hour, and from day to day, we rebuild our physical bodies with the material elements of the earth in order to replace the corruptible and worn-out elements which previously composed it. Our other experiments have shown that the physical body can completely wear out and become so incapable of retaining life and vitality that the so-called breath of life, or soul consciousness, leaves it.

By these experiences of science and our individual lives, we become convinced that it is a part of the economy of the Creators laws, and of the economy of life itself, for the soul to separate itself from the corrupting and corruptible physical body and leave the body to continue its transition into primary elements again, by which it returns to the dust of the earth, while the soul remains immortal.

If this broad and general explanation of the nature of mans being is acceptable to you, my reader, then you are face to face with the next important question: Why is the soul of God, or the Creators consciousness, placed temporarily in a physical body, and what becomes of it after its release? That double question has been the most insistent and most important query in the consciousness of man since the dawn of thinking and believing. It is to answer that question with more facts and less theory that this book was written and dedicated to thinking men and women.

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Chapter 4

THE QUEST

I HAVE INTIMATED that one of the objections on the part of those who are fundamentalists of the modern type in their religious viewpoints is that the doctrine of rebirth seems to place the soul of man in the position of being a spiritual entity, continuously bound to earthly conditions. Such persons say that it is disturbing to the peace of their minds and their spirits to think of the soul as requiring earthly experiences, trials, and tribulations in order to evolve or perfect itself. They also argue that it should not be necessary for the soul to have earthly experience or to require any process or system of earthly development. Their contention is that the soul of man is a divine, infinite, spiritual something, having its origin in God and maintaining eternally its transcendental nature, and that it can be neither added to nor subtracted from, nor in any way made more divine than it is when it leaves God and enters the body of man. A final contention is that it is horrifying to think that the soul must have more than one contact with the quagmire of earthly contamination instead of returning to the eternal spiritual world and remaining there in its sublime spiritual state.

All of these arguments are based upon certain assumptions which are faulty, or at least misunderstood. In the first place, attention is called to the fact that the soul of man is here in a physical body and is in contact with the earthly experiences, and this fact is neither an assumption nor a simple matter of doctrinal faith. All of our reasoning and arguing about the why and wherefore of the souls incarnation in a physical body here on this plane cannot alter the fact that it is here and is passing through a process of experiences.


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Granting that the soul in its spiritual essence is absolutely perfect and sublime and that no earthly experiences can improve this high degree of perfection, and granting that the soul has its origin in the consciousness of God but is nevertheless infused in a physical body to live for a time on this earth plane, we come face to face with the question as to why a soul in its perfection should require earthly experiences for even a day or an hour.

Orthodox theology of the Western world briefly and simply says that there is a divine reason and purpose for the souls contact with earthly conditions and its incarnation for a time in a physical body on this earth plane. That is really saying something that common sense would admit. It is not a theological conclusion but a rational conclusion. We cannot possibly conceive of there being no reason, no purpose, and no great end to be served by the incarnation of the soul in a physical body. To think of such an important element in the scheme of things as being purposeless would be to tear away the very foundation of our faith in the belief that the whole universe and everything in it exists and operates in accordance with law and reason, and that God has established nothing or instituted nothing that did not have some definite purpose or plan back of its motive and existence.

It is my purpose in this book to show that there is a good reason, a logical reason, and an acceptable reason for the souls incarnation in the physical body. This reason is not contrary to any of the sound, theological principles, and fortunately it is consistent with the understanding held by all of the religious movements of the world. By understanding these reasons and analyzing them, even casually, one is better prepared to understand the real purpose of our existence here on earth and to see why the true doctrines of reincarnationfreed from all of the unsound idiosyncrasies that personal opinion has attached to themare plausible and acceptable to the thinking mind.

Starting then with the fact that the soul in its essence and vital nature is a spiritual substance originating in the consciousness of God and emanating from the spiritual realm, we proceed to study the attributes of this soul and learn what it really is, and why it may benefit by contact with earthly experiences.


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Perhaps only in the Western world and among Western religions is the nature of the soul so little understood. The rapid advance and propagation of the claims of modern spiritualism represents a form of speculation possible only because of the lack of knowledge on the part of persons in the Western world regarding the soul, its nature, and its attributes. To the Orientals and to almost three fourths of the worlds religious population the many preposterous claims of spiritualism as a religion, a philosophy, or a popular belief originated in the Western world solely because of popular misconception regarding the soul. It was claimed recently by one eminent clergyman, who regretted the increasing interest in spiritualistic seances in America, that the World War [I] with the attendant loss of millions of lives was responsible for the great increase in numbers of persons who turned to spiritualism to find some consolation, and perhaps some illumination, in regard to the unknown or sudden passing of beloved ones. But in many foreign nations there was also a tremendous loss of life, and among these peoples there was not the frantic turning to spiritualism for understanding because most of these foreign persons were too well acquainted with certain fundamental facts which enabled them to understand what the Western minds had not yet learned.

Clergymen in the Western world are as responsible as any others for the progress of spiritualism, for if the churches of the Western world and the religions of the Occidental had not eliminated from their early doctrines and creeds the principles which revealed the true nature and attributes of the soul, there would not be the present-day misunderstanding and misconception in this regard, and the many mystical movements now found in America and England would have no actual necessity as a foundation for their existence.

In most of Europe, and in all of America, the great fundamental truths of mans spiritual nature and existence have been modified or entirely eliminated from modern creeds and dogmas. If these were understood as well today as they were in the days when Jesus the Christ talked to his disciples and with the multitudes, and when the foundation for the Christian church was laid, there would be no need for any such book as the present one or the hundreds of others which have been published within the last ten years casting new light on the teachings of Jesus, and the pristine principles of Christianity.

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Chapter 5

THE COSMIC CONCEPTION OF THE

SOUL

IN THE OCCIDENTAL or Western world there is a general or popular idea of the soul which pictures it as an invisible, intangible, spiritual substance of an immortal nature. This substance is believed to be the breath of life, or, in other words, an etheric vitality emanating from the Source of All Sources and carrying with it the creative power or energy of the Creator of all things that exist. In brief, it is believed to be a spiritual essence, the nature of which is to give animation and life to all conscious things.

This is all that can be definitely stated by the most orthodox and enthusiastic followers of the religions of the Western world. We may divide the principal religious denominations of the Western world into two broad classifications under the headings of Jewish and Christian. Therefore, let us pause just a moment to see what the leading authorities in those two fields of religious thought have to say regarding the soul. Turning first to the Jewish Encyclopedia, we find that the nature of the soul, as taught in the Talmud, is that which was conceived by Philo, the philosopher. This conception which is a human conceptionis that the soul is dual in nature. One part is called the active soul, which is the consciousness breathed by God into man, and the other part is the vital spirit with which he inspired man. Here we have the foundation for a distinction between spirit and soul, as two parts of the same thing, and a reason for the confusion in regard to spirit and


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soul, which leads many modern religious writers and preachers to use the two terms synonymously as though they were identical. It is this confusion which is responsible for the spiritualistic movement and similar movements using the term spirit for the term soul. We note in the Jewish Encyclopedia also that in some prayers the phrase is used, May God give spirit and soul to the embryo In other Jewish writings, quoted in the encyclopedia, it appears that the Jews believed that all souls are preexistent and that there are souls of different quality. The rabbis, according to the encyclopedia, do not agree in the belief of the preexistence of the soul. According to them each and every soul which shall be from Adam until the end of the world, was formed during the six days of creation and was in Paradise.

For the Christian viewpoint, we may turn to the original Christian doctrines, as presented in the Catholic Encyclopedia. Here, we read that the soul may be defined as the ultimate, internal principle by which we think, feel, and will, and by which our bodies are animated In this expression we find the Christian idea that in addition to the vitality which animates the physical body through the coming of the soul, there is a form of consciousness or mind that accompanies the soul and which enables this physical body to see, to think, and feel, and act with understanding.

Much more is said in both of these encyclopedias about the soul. Many peculiar ideas are expressed therein which will probably surprise and astonish the average devoted Jew and Christian. Further presentation and discussions of these unusual ideas regarding the soul will be referred to in other parts of this book in connection with the points raised by them. At the present moment we are concerned solely with the nature of the soul and not its origin or the means of its entrance into the body or its purpose after it has become incarnated.

We note, therefore, that the Jewish and Christian religions adopted the almost universal idea of all other religions claiming that the soul of man was not only a vitalizing essence of a divine nature but the seat of consciousness or mind. We may safely say, therefore, that the universal human conception of the soul today is that it is the vitality and consciousness in man. This must be the view of every orthodox Christian and every orthodox Jew of the Western world, as well as


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the conviction of every orthodox person of the various religions throughout the Oriental world. With such a general foundation for an analysis of the soul and its nature, let us turn to the viewpoint as expressed by mystical revelation and see what is the cosmic conception of the soul.

First, we discover that there is a very definite distinction between spirit and soul. Spirit is the animating vitality or energy that permeates all living matter in the universe. We must remind the reader right here that it is unnecessary to use the term living matter, since all matter is living. There is a difference between living matter and conscious matter. Rocks are living in the sense that there is a vitality, or force, or energy which infuses every crystal and every atom of their structure, and which holds the mass together in the proper atomic and molecular form to express the specific nature of matter. All matter is vibrant with this universal energy or essence which is universally called spirit. It is in every cell of the elements composing the body of man, the body of every plant and vegetable, and of every material thing in definite expression in the universe. Spirit is, therefore, the universal essence that creates and maintains the expression of matter. Chemically speaking, or from the viewpoint of physics, we may say that the essence which composes the electron is the universal spirit. Therefore, we will put the subject of spirit aside for a moment and consider soul as something apart from spirit.

Our cosmic conception shows us that the soul of man and all conscious creatures is a form of divine consciousness, which has certain attributes or functions. It may, therefore, be called infinite mind. This infinite mind has certain faculties which we may term seeing, feeling, hearing, smelling and tasting. These faculties are not separate and distinct functionings, as they are in the physical body, but a group or amalgamated faculty of apprehension and comprehension which in any one of its five forms of impression or receptivity is interpreted by us as that of seeing, feeling, tasting, hearing, or smelling. In other words, the mind of the soul is capable of receiving and comprehending knowledge through a faculty of perception, which is a combination of seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, and smelling. The reception and interpretation of an impression by the soul is translated to our outer


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physical consciousness in the terms of the senses: seeing, feeling, hearing, tasting, or smelling. Judging the soul impressions, then, from our objective or physical form of consciousness, we would feel at times as though the soul had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, whereas, as a matter of fact, the soul impression was not through any limited channel of one means of consciousness.

The perception or reception of knowledge or impression by the soul through its one complex channel constitutes what modern mystics term the psychic sense. When this sense receives an impression which is prophetic, it is called intuition. By others the psychic sense is called the channel for inspiration. Many other terms are used to describe this perceptive and comprehending faculty of the soul, and among the Oriental religions and philosophies we find many strange words indicating the rather indefinite idea I have attempted to express in the foregoing sentences.

Thus, the soul has the attribute of comprehension, as a faculty of its consciousness. It has likewise the faculty of communicating, through a similar channel of psychic impressions, the thoughts within its consciousness. These thoughts impress themselves on the consciousness of the soul in other physical bodies by a simple process. The soul in man, being a part of the God consciousness or Oversoul of the universe, is never separated from the soul that is resident in every physical body, and a thought in the consciousness of the soul in one physical body can be immediately in contact with the consciousness in the soul of any other, or every other, physical body on the earth plane or in the spiritual realm.

Right here we have a cosmic truth which, if developed to its full explanation and understanding, would make plain the misconceptions of the modern spiritualistic doctrines. Nothing said in the foregoing paragraphs is consistent with nor in support of any of the claims made by the spiritualistic doctrines of the present day. In fact, an understanding of these cosmic truths will reveal the error of the present-day spiritualistic beliefs and practices, and will make plain why many comprehensible experiences and revelations have come spontaneously and unexpectedly through what has seemed to be an application of the spiritualistic principles.


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This mind of the consciousness in the soul, being part of the Infinite Mind, is wise in all universal cosmic wisdom. This does not mean, however, that the essential wisdom of the soul, which it possessed before it ever became incarnated in a physical body, includes a knowledge of all of mans artificially established and arbitrarily created beliefs and practices. It is often argued by the young student of mysticism and metaphysics that since the soul is infinite in its wisdom, there can be no reason for the statement that through its experiences here on earth it adds to its knowledge, and if it possesses all knowledge, it cannot possibly add to that wisdom.

Such students overlook the fact that the infinite mind of the soul previous to any incarnation on this earth plane would not be familiar with such mundane knowledge as the Sanskrit alphabet, the Morse code, the invented laws of mans form of chemistry, the driving of an automobile, the best methods to use in buying and selling in the stock market, or the ethical codes and legal statutes arbitrarily established by man in various countries, communities, and localities. The universal wisdom possessed by the soul before incarnation and ever afterwards retained as its fundamental knowledge pertains strictly to cosmic laws and principlesdivine decrees and rulings.

When we stop to consider that the essential knowledge of one nation in one part of the world today is not the essential knowledge of another nation in another part of the world, or of the same nation in that part of the world centuries ago, we will realize that human knowledge, or earthly knowledge of human origin and application, is a transient, mortal something that changes rapidly and is not fixed for all times. The soul would not be aided in its earthly purposes during its incarnation in a body by being conscious of all the human knowledge accumulated by it through all ages.

The essential knowledge possessed by the infinite mind of the soul is that transcendental knowledge which man cannot obtain through any of the human channels or through any of the physical organs of perception and which he must, therefore, obtain through a spiritual means.

The coming of the soul into the body, therefore, is not for a single purpose, and we realize at once that we now have two good reasons


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for the incarnation of a spiritual soul in a human body. First, that for a reason which we will explain shortly, the soul is to have certain earthly experiences, and secondly, the human physical body is to have the advantage of spiritual knowledge and illumination in addition to its mundane knowledge.

The next point for our consideration is that after the soul is incarnated in the physical body and brings to the physical body the divine consciousness and wisdom, plus the transcendental faculty of perception and communication with the soul consciousness of the universe, we have a combination which in the human form expresses the closest approximation to the image of God.

Even a cursory examination of the principles of biology, anatomy, and pathology indicates to us that the physical body of man, independent of the soul and its consciousness, has a form of consciousness and intelligence of its own. The most minute biological cell under examination through the microscope reveals reactions to light, color, and heat, and other external conditions, which prove that it has a primitive form of consciousness of its own. This physical, mundane consciousness is limited and mortal. The smallest living organisms, such as the smallest ones living in water, are an aggregate of the primitive cells, and their bodies contain, therefore, the aggregate consciousness of the cells that compose the bodies. The physical consciousness in each living body on the face of the earth is no more than the aggregate consciousness of the cells composing the body.

Limiting our discussion to mans physical body, we note from scientific experiments that the consciousness in the cells which compose the roots of our hair is a different consciousness from that which is in the cells composing the fingernails, the bones, the outer tissues, the muscles, the blood, or the other parts of our bodies. Each cell carries on its functioning and adjusts itself to its environment with similar cells and maintains its personality and integrity, its individuality, and its usefulness in accordance with the distinct consciousness within it. The cells which produce hair would not produce bone or tissue, or any other form of matter. No matter where they may congregate or with what other cells they may associate, they will strive against great odds and under


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very adverse conditions to maintain and perpetuate, establish and reproduce, their individual nature in accordance with their individual consciousness. There are forms of physical disorders in the human body where hair cells, teeth cells, bone cells, and others, accumulate in an unnatural position or relationship and continue to manifest their natures and reproduce that which they were intended to reproduce, despite the obstacle of wrong environment and abnormal situations.

The consciousness of the physical body is, therefore, an aggregation of the consciousness in every physical cell of the human body, and is likewise a combination of the different natures of consciousness of the many kinds of cells.

The mystic knows, therefore, that the difference between the most highly evolved ape and even the primitive man is not a question of soul evolution but a question of the difference between the natures of consciousness in the cells composing the physical body and the dwelling of a human soul in that body instead of the soul of an ape. In other words, the difference between the ape and the human is not only a difference of the soul in each of them but a difference also of the aggregate and combined consciousness of the cells which compose the physical bodies of each. An ape, therefore, could not evolve into a man by suddenly having a soul of man enter its physical body in place of the soul of an ape. A great change would have to be made in the physical consciousness of its body as well.

Nor could the ape become a man by any process of evolution whereby the physical consciousness in the cells of the body of the ape became like unto the consciousness in the physical body of man, unless at the same time a human soul entered the body of an ape. The idea of seeking, therefore, for a single missing link in the evolutionary stage of cell life composing the physical body of the ape is a foolish one. The greater missing link in such an imaginary chain would be the single link representing the stage of change from the soul of an ape to the soul of man. And no one can seriously consider making a search for such a link.

Mans physical body, therefore, has a consciousness distinctly its own, limited and adjusted through attunement of its faculties to perceive and


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comprehend things of its own nature. The consciousness of physical man is keenly attuned to the consciousness of all physical nature. But it cannot be attuned to the consciousness of the Cosmic or Divine Mind, for this is of a transcendental nature and of a higher vibratory rate than the vibrations of the physical consciousness. All of the perceptive faculties of the physical body and all of its impressionistic channels are limited to the grossly mundane things of the physical world.

The eyes can only see to a limited extent and within a limited portion of the universal scale of vibrations. There are colors and tones too high and too low for the physical eyes to see. The physical ear cannot hear all of the sounds that exist in the universe, for its consciousness and its mechanical means of translation of impressions are limited to a certain low portion of the scale of vibrations. The same is true of tasting, smelling, and feeling. In other words, the human physical consciousness is a consciousness of itself and of its like throughout nature. It was created and placed in the cells of matter in order that matter might be conscious of itself in all physical forms; beyond that it has no consciousness and cannot perceive or comprehend.

Truly, man, in a physical sense, is a finite, mortal, limited creature, and without the breath of life, the soul, and the divine consciousness, is not a living soul, but a mere aggregation of earthly substances with their limited form of earthly consciousness.

A violet growing in the green fields is an entity with a personality and character easily distinguished. Its characteristics of form, color, odor, cycle of birth and rebirth, and other distinguishing features constitute its personality. Its personality is the result of all of the consciousness within its body. A rose is distinguishable from all other flowers by its character or its personality. These are a result of the consciousness within it. Burbank learned that by modifying the consciousness of a flower or a piece of fruit through the introduction of a few cells of different consciousness, the outer and inner character and personality of flowers and fruit might be changed. Primitive man learned long ago that he could graft the personality of one tree into another by grafting some part of the physical consciousness or cell life of one into the other.


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Returning to man again as our principal study, we find that the character and personality of man are the result of the thought consciousness within his being. And just as the character or personality of a flower, a tree, or a piece of mineral, or a piece of fruit is not exclusively manifested by the outer shape or form of the thing, so mans character and personality do not rest in the form of his body nor its size or weight, but in other subtle expressions of form, size, and color.

Realizing, then, that the consciousness within a mans body, like unto the consciousness within all things, is responsible for the distinct character or personality of man, we need think only of one other important point in order to have a perfect picture of man as a marvelous creation. That point is this: The soul consciousness added to the physical consciousness in the body of man during incarnation here on earth gives man his character or personality. Differing from those things which have no soul or divine consciousness, mans character or personality is not solely a result of the physical consciousness in his body, but the result of a blending or uniting, or cooperative action and reaction of the soul consciousness with, and upon, the physical consciousness. Thus, the dual consciousness of man constitutes his personality or character.

One final point in connection with this cosmic conception of the soul. As the physical consciousness in man changes through its physical evolution tending toward perfection, the physical characteristics of man change. As the soul consciousness in man is given more and more opportunity to express itself and to guide or dominate the thinking and the acting of man, so his character and personality will change. In other words, as the soul consciousness and the physical consciousness in man change through experience, through greater opportunities to express, through more complete understanding and comprehension, through more perfect attunement with the higher principles of life, so the character and personality of man change and evolve.

We now find that we have three reasons for the incarnation of the soul in the body. First, thatfor a reason which we will explain shortlythe soul is to have certain earthly experiences; and, second, the


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human physical body is to have the advantage of spiritual knowledge and illumination in addition to its mundane knowledge; and third, that the character and personality of man may be perfected.

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Chapter 6

THE PERSONALITY OF THE SOUL

IN THE PREVIOUS chapter we learned that one of the purposes of the souls incarnation in the physical body is to assist in the building up of character and personality. This brings us to a consideration of what is character and what constitutes personality.

We have shown that all of the ancient and modern religions and philosophies conceded that the joining of the soul to the physical body results in a living soul on this earth. But we are not known as living souls but as certain characters and personalities, each distinctly different in many ways and classified only in certain broad generalities.

Our consideration, therefore, should be of what constitutes the personality of a living being. Character is generally considered as the ethical and moral principles which become the guide in life for each individual. Character, like individuality, is something that is not only constantly changing in many respects but is such a combination of elements of the physical self that it may be changed or modified at will. We mold our character, build our character, and establish our character by the things that we think, principles we hold fast to and adopt, and the acts we perform.

A banker as an individual is a banker only because that is his occupation or profession. The classification of a man as a banker refers more to his individuality and perhaps to his character than it does to his personality. The plumber likewise is classified as such because of his occupation or his trade. Some elements of character may enter


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into the determination of that classification, but his personality may be absolutely unknown even to those who have employed him the most often as a plumber. An actor is classified as such because of his profession but not likely because of his character. There may be traits or elements of nature in his character that would enable us to identify him as an actor or capable of playing the part of an actor, even though we know nothing of his real personality. The artist may have nothing about him which would identify him as an artist, but there may be traits in his character which reveal the artistic tendencies and abilities which he possesses. He may be occupied in his art and he may not be. Nevertheless, he may be classified as an artist although we lack knowledge of his personality.

Individuality and character may be so instantly altered as to mislead us in our judgment. We may know a certain person as a banker through our daily business transactions. He may be employed in a bank where we have met him for many years and the mere mention of his name brings to our minds the immediate classification of banker In his outer habits, manner of dress, and manner of business conversation he may reveal himself as a character properly classified as a banker But we may accidentally meet him some evening in his home and find him playing a violin or a piano so proficiently that we instantly discover that in character he is also a musician. His individuality, as far as clothes and mannerisms are concerned, may continue to show us that he is essentially a banker by profession, but we notice that he can cast aside this individuality or character of the daytime and become the musician in the evening. Still, we may know nothing of his true personality. We may meet him in the summertime in the grounds of his country home and find that he is also a very proficient and enthusiastic agriculturist. His long study of the subject of gardening, for instance, as a hobby may make him very expert in this classification and as we see him in his overalls with rake and hoe we see a different individual or character than the one of banker and yet we may know nothing of his personality

The dignified businessman who has held a responsible position and earned the popular faith in him as an efficient business executive may be tempted to commit some crime and we may find him later on in a


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penitentiary serving some period of time. Having been found in his crime and discovered in his false characterization of an honest, worthy, sincere businessman, he has now thrown off his cloak and reveals his individuality and character on a level with the other prisoners around him; and we may be surprised through his language and actions to learn that the mannerisms of speech and habit which he exhibited for so many years in his business office were merely superficial qualities worn as a cloak. We may now classify him not as a businessman but as a criminal. Still, we may know nothing whatever about his real personality.

I trust that I have enabled you to appreciate the difference between character and personality. Personality appears to be, therefore, that inner, private nature of our real selves which has little to do with all of our outer physical or mental characterizations. It is unquestionably true that the real personality of every individual will consciously and unconsciously affect the outer habits and mannerisms of the physical self. It is also true, however, that all of the outer characterizations do not constitute a perfect index to the real personality within.

The personality within us constitutes, in a mental phase, that which we actually believe, that which we actually know, and that which has become a positive conviction with us through our thinking and our experiences. In a spiritual sense the inner self is that which is closely associated with our deep emotions and with our silent, private, cosmic and spiritual experiences. In a moral sense our personality consists of those things which we have secretly and privately established as our immutable principles or code of life. In our actions our real personality influences us by the habits, customs, and mannerisms which we have adopted gradually and so profoundly that we are almost unaware of their existence and find it almost impossible to change them or modify them.

Briefly, we may say, therefore, that personality is the inner self, or the self that is being built up by the inner consciousness and the inner man. In contrast, character and individuality constitute the outer self, or that which is of the physical, mental consciousness.


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A study of the human personality through psychology and psychiatry has revealed in the past several hundred years that it is gradually formed in each individual by external influences and internal influences. Some specialists in psychology call this inner personality the subliminal self or the self-conscious self. In a true classification, however, it should be called the true personality. It is undoubtedly true that through heredity we inherit some elements of our personality, and it is unquestionably true that we also acquire most of the elements of our personality through internal and external influences.

By internal influences I mean those urges, inspirations, ideas, and impulses that rise within our emotions as a result of spiritual or cosmic contact, or through the transmission of ideas and principles to the inner consciousness from the outer consciousness. Certain courses of study, certain pictures, selections of music, and experiences in life will establish ideas, principles, and convictions in the outer consciousness which, because of their agreeableness to our understanding or to our other elements of personality, are adopted by the personality as further points of modifications. Experiences in life which teach invaluable lessons and bring to our outer consciousness a conviction of the truth of some great law or principle which we accept as being universal in nature and helpful in our progress through life, are adopted by the inner personality as rules and laws unto itself.

Sorrow, pain, and suffering, and the sympathetic understanding of the sorrow and sufferings of others will soften some of the harsh elements in our own outer nature and carry some points of characterization into the inner personality and there become fixed as additional elements of the inner self. Meditation, prayer, spiritual visions, and similar experiences of the inner self constantly add elements to the evolving personality. In this way the personality of the self within is being gradually developed toward a degree of perfection which it did not have when it entered the physical body

Because of the very intimate nature of the lessons learned by this inner self, and because of the confidential principles and ideals held by this inner self, the real personality of an individual being is known only to those most intimately associated with him and discovered only through long, intimate contact.


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It has been found also, through a long study of the personality of man, that the tendency of the inner self is to build up a personality progressively toward a higher degree of perfection rather than toward a lower one. Regardless of how the outer man may live, and even pervert the morals and ethical principles to a continuously lower standardas with the habitual criminal who is brazen and bold to the utmost degreethe real personality within is usually molding itself along lines that tend toward a higher standard and a greater degree of perfection.

It is a positive fact, revealed even by the action of confirmed criminals, that the higher ideals and more perfect standards of the inner self constantly challenge and question the actions of the outer self. Thus, most criminals sooner or later find themselves horribly annoyed and persecuted by a form of remorse actuated by what is sometimes called the conscience, but which is really the voice of the inner self or personality challenging the conduct of the outer self. Psychology in recent years has found a way to reach and arouse from its temporary imprisonment the inner personality of many persons to such an extent that a correct picture of the real self is revealed and the better tendencies of this inner self are given an opportunity to control the outer being.

The reason for the general upward tendency of the development of the inner personality is due, first of all, to the fact that it is closely associated with the Divine Consciousness in man and with those channels, or means of securing knowledge, which constantly inform the self of what is right, what is just, and what is merciful. Secondly, the outer self of man may deceive others through temporary modifications or coloring of its true nature, but the inner self of man cannot be deceived by the outer self nor can the outer self be deceived by the inner self. And, therefore, man in his own private periods of meditation and thoughtfulness knows what is right and what is wrong and is not deceived by any fictitious claim on the part of the physical consciousness. Thus, man tends toward higher thinking and self-improvement inwardly through his own private understanding of the real facts of life, while outwardly he may not be conforming to the standards thus being established.

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Chapter 7

DOES PERSONALITY SURVIVE TRANSITION?

IN ANY ANALYSIS of this question we are confronted by two distinct and opposed claims. One is a theological doctrine; the other is called a scientific conclusion. Both of them are accepted by a large number of persons on faith. Both of them are sustained by the same kind of evidence when presented by the average representative of the school supporting them.

To proceed properly, let us place in a few words the two opposing claims in regard to mans destiny:

1. The theory of theology that man possesses an immortal soul or personality which survives the death of his body.

2. The theory of materialistic science that mans individualism or personality begins at the birth of his body and ends with the death of his body.

Let us note that the words used in these two brief contentions are carefully chosen. In number two the word soul is not used. Materialism does not recognize the existence of a soul, but does admit the very positive existence of that something labeled personality or individuality. The term materialistic science is used to distinguish one form of science from the many. Likewise, in number one the words soul and personality are joined as synonymous only because theology assumes such to be representative of a fact


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The question of mans destiny, or the fate of his personality after the death of the body, is so old that its origin is lost in antiquity. The earliest records of mans thinking indicate that the discussion was a common and familiar one with but three conclusions as possible answers. In fact, we find that the materialistic conclusion was held by the minority of ancient civilization as today; and the majority sincerely held to the other. In all ages this conclusion or doctrine was philosophical, and not purely theological, as man has tried to make it in recent centuries.

We should not be considered presumptuous when we compare these various conclusions and beliefs, if it is our desire to find which of them is most in harmony with justice and which does the least violence to our natural feelings.

The materialistic doctrine is born of and based upon the assumption that man is born a helpless, ignorant infant as a product of an unknown principle called heredity, operating through or with forces and impulses of which he knows nothing and cannot combat; that, therefore, he possesses as advantages and handicaps, certain abilities, tendencies, fortitudes, and weaknesses, for the possession of which he is in no way responsible. Why he was born at all, why he is what he is, and to what end, he does not know and cannot know.

He tries to reconcile conditions, as he finds them, with the doctrine of materialistic heredityregardless of the many manifest contradictions; for his doctrine says that the thief, the murderer, the fool, the liar, and the depraved have but inherited the endowment of their forebears; while the good, the noble, the rich, the happy, and the prosperous have unconsciously, mechanically, or simply, received the blessings passed by preceding generations. Such a doctrine does not account for the birth of a thief or a murderer in a long line of honorable ancestors, nor the birth of a noble, fortunate one in a family tree rotten to the roots.

The believers of such a doctrine contend that they should not be condemned for their frailties, tendencies, or commissions. Even man-made laws excuse conditions thrust upon one by another without contributory responsibility or warrant, and even the most savage


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races would not tolerate let alone createa law which justified the punishment of one man for the sinsor commissionsof another.

Such beliefs as this preclude the possibility of a Divine Intelligence concerned in the birth and existence of man, individually and even collectively, and eliminate the existence of divine consciousness or soul in man of a nature distinct from the material essence of chemical life in his body.

Therefore, says material science, man is a chemical productthe result of mechanical or systematic laws which automatically carry on their processes of reproduction without conscious intelligence. Man is just born as he is, what he is, struggles to modify the blind, indifferent laws of nature, and eventually succumbs to the inevitable breaking down processes of the material elementsand dies. That is the end of managain, individually and collectively.

A doctrine of fatalism is the religious creed of the materialistic believers. That we are born mena certain type of chemical productinstead of monkeys, rats, or cattle, is due to chance. Our place in the animal kingdom is due to lottery. We have come from nowhereby no real law that would prove itself by and through justice, mercy, forgiveness, consideration, or loveand pass on to nowhere again.

The good men and the just in the world are deserving of no more credit for their qualities than are the evil deserving of condemnation or punishment. Just as our tendencies, abilities, weaknesses, and prowesses are inherited without our sanctionor conscious warrantso our experiences, fortunes, sorrows, joys, successes, and failures throughout life are acquired by us without deserving them and without moral or personal responsibility.

If we can cheat the system by beating the game of life in any move, if we can frustrate blind principles by our own developed sight, or build where tearing down seems imminent, we prove our individual strength and fitness to survive the decree of fate. The belief in eternal justice, law, order, goodness, and love is but a delusion. The law of right overpowering might, and character determining destiny is but a childish illusionso declares the doctrine of materialism!


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The theological doctrinelike unto the materialistic oneincludes an assumption, viz: that the soul or personality of each individual being is uniquely created for each existence by God through immutable laws and principles known only to God. While this doctrine seems to be a great and inspiring relief from the depressing viewpoint of the materialistand for that reason has become the hope of manyit is found, upon analysis and experience, unsatisfying to progressive, thinking minds.

We discover, first, that although it transfers the authorship of our creation from blind, unconscious chemical action to God, man remains a creature made and born from the nowhere, and the credit or responsibility for his existence rests with a personal maker and not with the process. Man is still a creature of circumstance and free from the responsibility of his creation, his existence, or his equipment, mentally, spiritually, or physically.

By attributing to the personalized creative powerGod that which we could not attribute to the impersonal creative, chemical processes, we have our responsibility for our existence endowed with conscious understanding, omnipotent power, infinite wisdom, and universal purpose.

The very first of these endowmentsconscious understandingwarrants our belief in universal law, order, system, and purpose. To create knowingly, to cause consciously and permit understandingly, God must have a purpose, a plan, a scheme of things. There can be no element of chance, no lottery, no accident. All must be by decree. Hence man is, again, and after all, a creature of fatedivine, spiritual, infinite though it may be.

Likewise, if man is the creature of such a Creator, he, the creature, must be in possession of some of the attributes of his Creator; he must have the wisdom, power, and understanding, to some degree, of the essence from which he emanated. He must inheritthrough his ancestral hereditythat infinite equipment which theology calls soul and which it intimates is synonymous with personality.


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Theology proceeds a step further in its explanation of mans inherited possessions and states dog

mansions of the soul - h. spencer lewis

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